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Friday’s TV: Sicily Unpacked

December 31 2011, 12:01am, The Times

Andrew Graham-Dixon and his friend, the chef Giorgio LocatelliWall to Wall Media/BBC

BBC Two, 9pm

Combining the art and food of Sicily is a marriage made in heaven. Andrew Graham-Dixon and his friend, the chef Giorgio Locatelli, offer a sun-drenched guide to an island filled with centuries of cultural and gastronomic wonders. What makes the series so watchable is the richness and diversity of Sicilian culture presented by people who patently adore the place. Graham-Dixon calls Palermo his favourite city in the world, and — better still — the two of them have an easy and relaxed relationship that isn’t ramped up for the benefit of the cameras. These are a couple of knowledgable friends showing one another unfamiliar aspects of a glorious place they both happen to love. Alongside the chapels and palaces and the masterpieces of baroque…